Hi, so I was given some incorrect information by a representative at Motability about when I order a new vehicle and the how and when the swap would occur. They told me that if the new vehicle arrives sooner than my current lease ended that it’s fine and it would just mean I swap a bit earlier … great! My needs have changed and so off I go to order a new vehicle … cue the dealership telling me my new lease would be delivered only few days after my renewal/application date, good news! Or so I thought … the dealership said they were sure I’d have to wait till the end of my renewal and to double check whilst with them. Well they were right, I was given the wrong information! So given the new information I then ask Motability to consider early termination due to my needs changing. I agree I’d pay the early termination fee and waive any good condition bonus, but first I need to explain to the customer service representative why/how my needs have changed … So I did … 3 different ways in plain English. They didn’t understand any which way I explained it. Probing more personal side of things and frankly making me feel uncomfortable. All to no avail and they refused my request which came across as ‘because you’re so close to the end of your lease, I believe it’s not in your best interest to allow the early termination’ So what now? The new car will be sitting at the dealership for nearly 3 months whilst I struggle on? All because they didn’t understand my needs sufficiently enough. Never mind I’m now only in this position because I was given incorrect advice by one of their very own! anybody else had similar issues? thank you.
Welcome to the forum @fos85 ,
Whilst I think we can all understand and empathise with your current predicament, it really has to be taken in the context that you did sign by entering a PIN, a three year (39 x 4-weekly payments) contract for your current vehicle.
Any variation to this contract, i.e. an early termination is and has always been at Motability Operation’s sole discretion, i.e. there is not right for the customer to terminate early.
I believe by your stated timings that the future VAT changes to the scheme from 1st July 26 would not apply to you, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Motability will be on the alert for customers attempting to early terminate vehicles in order to circumvent the future VAT position. You may have inadvertantly got rolled up into that, hence their refusal.
However, you say you contacted Motability and were ‘given their blessing’ to early terminate initially. Was this by live chat and did you retain a copy (screenshot) of the conversation?
If it was by telephone, can you ask Motability if there is a record of your call, either ‘on screen’ or a recording?
Without either of those, it is really your word against theirs and Motability do have the right to hold you to your contract. An early termination, even including the £250 termination fee usually results in a net financial loss for Motability, so I can also see it from their point of view.
Have you also get it in writing from your dealership that they will hold your chosen vehicle for three months? Many dealers will not want to do this, as it ties up much needed space on their premises and the vehicle could be sold to another customer.
Also it may be contractual on the dealership to sell the vehicle during the current quarter (else they have to buy it and register it then sell it as ‘pre-registered’ which negates it then being sold as a Motability vehicle). More so as we are approaching both the end of a quarter and also the end of the Financial year.
If they do sell ‘your’ vehicle and reorder a factory build for you, as @jojo22 above says, you are really only back to the position you should have been in had this incident not occurred i.e. a factory order with a circa 3 month wait time, which brings you to your contractual change date.